Washing machine

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to a washing machine that includes: an integrated tub/drum that simultaneously stores washing water, accommodates laundry, and rotates; a hollow rotary shaft coupled to penetrate one surface of the integrated tub/drum; one or more water pipes in the integrated tub/drum through a hollow space in the hollow rotary shaft; and a supporting frame that supports the hollow rotary shaft so that the hollow rotary shaft is rotatable.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on and claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2013-0158053, filed on Dec. 18, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a washing machine, and more particularly, to a washing machine in which a tub configured to store washing water and a drum configured to accommodate and rotate laundry are integrally formed.

BACKGROUND

A washing machine refers to an apparatus which eliminates foreign substances attached to laundry by agitating and rotating water that is supplied together with the laundry. The Washing machine is classified into a pulsator type washing machine which washes the laundry using a water flow generated by an operation of a pulsator installed in a washing tub, and a drum type washing machine that washes laundry by dropping the laundry vertically, which is caused by a rotation of a drum.

The drum type washing machine has a door at the front of the washing machine through which the laundry is placed. The drum type washing machine drops and washes the laundry, and uses relatively small amounts of washing water and detergent. Specifically, a drum type washing machine in the related art includes a cabinet that forms an external appearance, a tub that is in the cabinet and stores washing water, a rotatable drum in the tub that accommodates laundry, a drive motor which is installed at the tub and provides power to the drum, a water supply device that supplies washing water to the tub, and a water drain device that discharges washing water from the tub to the outside of the cabinet after a washing operation ends.

Accordingly, when the laundry is washed in the drum type washing machine in the related art, the laundry is put into the tub in a lateral direction by opening a door provided at a front side of the drum type washing machine, washing water is supplied to the tub, and then the laundry is washed while a lifter in the drum lifts up and drops the laundry by rotating the drum by power from the drive motor.

As such, the drum type washing machine in the related art includes the tub in addition to the drum. That is, the drum type washing machine in the related art has a structure which has the tub to store washing water and the drum in the tub to wash the laundry.

However, because the tub is typically made of a plastic material, the tub may be easily contaminated by water scale or other foreign substances generated in the tub when the tub is used over a long period of time. There is a problem in that it is difficult to clean the tub because the drum is in the way when the tub is contaminated. When the tub, which stores washing water, is contaminated, the tub may become corroded, and then the laundry becomes contaminated, which may cause a user to incur a skin disease.

This problem exists in the pulsator type washing machine as well as the drum type washing machine. The reason is that the pulsator type washing machine also includes a reservoir (tub) in a main body thereof.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure has been made in an effort to provide a washing machine that includes an integrated tub/drum, thereby suppressing the occurrence of contaminants and allowing the integrated tub/drum to be easily cleaned.

The present disclosure has been made in an effort to provide a washing machine that may effectively supply washing water to an integrated tub/drum or drain washing water from the integrated tub/drum.

An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a washing machine including: an integrated tub/drum that simultaneously stores water, accommodates laundry, and rotates; a rotatable hollow rotary shaft coupled to and/or penetrating one surface of the integrated tub/drum; one or more water pipes in the integrated tub/drum and through the hollow rotary shaft; and a supporting frame that supports the hollow rotary shaft so that the hollow rotary shaft is rotatable.

The washing machine may further include a fixed shaft in the hollow rotary shaft that does not rotate and that supports the one or more water pipes in the fixed shaft; a rotary bearing between the hollow rotary shaft and the fixed shaft so that the hollow rotary shaft and the fixed shaft are slidable or rotatable relative to each other; and a supporting bearing between the hollow rotary shaft and the supporting frame.

One end of the fixed shaft may protrude to the outside of the hollow rotary shaft. The washing machine may further include a shaft fixing member which connects the one end of the fixed shaft to the supporting frame.

The washing machine may further include an air pipe in the fixed shaft with the one or more water pipes, connected to the integrated tub/drum.

The washing machine may further include a water seal between the hollow rotary shaft and the fixed shaft so as to block the washing water in the integrated tub/drum from flowing into the rotary bearing.

The integrated tub/drum may have a truncated conical shape or a cylindrical shape. An opening may be formed in a circumferential surface of the integrated tub/drum so that the laundry is put into or taken out of the integrated tub/drum. The washing machine may further include a drum cover that is separably coupled to the opening of the integrated tub/drum.

The washing machine may further include a lifter on an inner circumferential surface of the integrated tub/drum, that lifts the laundry.

The one or more water pipes may include a water supply pipe and a water drain pipe, and the water drain pipe may be in the integrated tub/drum through the hollow rotary shaft, and be bent downward. The water supply pipe may be in the integrated tub/drum through the hollow rotary shaft, and be bent upward, or leftward or rightward.

The washing machine according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may further include: a drive shaft coupled to another surface of the integrated tub/drum; and a drive motor that rotates the drive shaft.

The drive shaft may be hollow. The washing machine may further include an additional water pipe in the integrated tub/drum through the drive shaft.

In this case, one of the water pipe(s) in the integrated tub/drum through the hollow rotary shaft or through the hollow drive shaft may be a water supply pipe that supplies the washing water, and another water pipe in the integrated tub/drum through the hollow rotary shaft or through the hollow drive shaft may be a water drain pipe that drains the washing water.

According to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the washing machine uses the integrated tub/drum, thereby suppressing the generation of contaminants and allowing the integrated tub/drum to be easily cleaned.

According to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the washing machine may effectively supply washing water to the integrated tub/drum and drain washing water from the integrated tub/drum.

The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the washing machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a hollow rotary shaft of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the hollow rotary shaft of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a washing machine according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the technical field to which the present disclosure pertains may carry out the exemplary embodiments. The present disclosure may be implemented in various different forms, and is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein.

In several exemplary embodiments, constituent elements having the same configuration will be representatively described using the same reference numerals in a first exemplary embodiment, and a second exemplary embodiment will be described with regard to only constituent elements that are different from the constituent elements described in the first exemplary embodiment.

The drawings are schematically illustrated, and the scales of the drawings are not identical to each other. Relative dimensions and ratios of the parts illustrated in the drawings are exaggerated or reduced in terms of sizes thereof for clarification of the drawings and convenience, and any dimension is only illustrative, and is not limited thereto. The same structures, elements, or components illustrated in two or more drawings are designated by the same reference numerals so as to illustrate similar features.

The exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are specifically presented as ideal exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. As a result, various modifications of the drawings are expected. Therefore, the exemplary embodiments are not limited to specific forms in regions illustrated in the drawings, and for example, include modifications of forms by the manufacture.

Hereinafter, a washing machine 101 according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the washing machine 101 according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes an integrated tub/drum 200, a hollow rotary shaft 410, one or more water pipes 600, and a supporting frame 500.

The washing machine 101 according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a lifter 250, a supporting bearing 508, a drive bearing 509, a drive shaft 420, and a drive motor 300.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the washing machine 101 according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a fixed shaft 415, a rotary bearing 418, a water seal 218, and a shaft fixing member 545.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the washing machine 101 according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may further include an air pipe 670.

Although not illustrated, the washing machine 101 according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a cabinet, and a water supply and drain pump.

The cabinet forms an external shape of the washing machine 101, and a control panel for controlling the washing machine 101 may be installed on the cabinet. Because the cabinet may have various shapes that are publicly known to those skilled in the art, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The water supply and drain pump supplies or drains washing water through a water supply pipe 610 or a water drain pipe 620. Because the water supply and drain pump used in the washing machine 101 is also publicly known to those skilled in the art, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The integrated tub/drum 200 simultaneously stores washing water, accommodates laundry, and rotates. The integrated tub/drum 200 may be made of stainless steel. That is, according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the integrated tub/drum 200, which stores the washing water, is not easily contaminated by water scale or other foreign substances, and may be easily cleaned when the integrated tub/drum 200 is contaminated.

The integrated tub/drum 200 has a truncated conical shape or a cylindrical shape. The integrated tub/drum 200 may include an opening 209 in one region of a circumferential surface of the integrated tub/drum 200. The laundry may be put into the integrated tub/drum 200 or the laundry in the integrated tub/drum 200 may be taken out of the integrated tub/drum 200, through the opening 209.

The washing machine according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a drum cover 290 that is separably coupled to the opening 209 of the integrated tub/drum 200. The drum cover 290 is separated from the integrated tub/drum 200 when the laundry is put into or taken out of the integrated tub/drum 200, and coupled to the integrated tub/drum 200 so as to tightly close the opening 209 when the laundry is washed.

A plurality of lifters 250 may be inside the integrated tub/drum 200. The lifters 250 have a shape that protrudes from an inner circumferential surface of the integrated tub/drum 200 at a predetermined height in a direction toward the center of the integrated tub/drum 200.

Accordingly, when the integrated tub/drum 200 rotates, the laundry held or accommodated in the integrated tub/drum 200 is washed while being caught and lifted by the lifter 250 due to rotational force of the integrated tub/drum 200 and dropped into the wash water and detergent in the integrated tub/drum 200.

The hollow rotary shaft 410 is coupled to penetrate one surface of the integrated tub/drum 200. A hollow space in the hollow rotary shaft 410 communicates with the interior of the integrated tub/drum 200.

The supporting frame 500 supports the hollow rotary shaft 410 so that the hollow rotary shaft 410 is rotatable. The supporting frame 500 may be accommodated in or coupled to the cabinet (not illustrated). The supporting frame 500 may have shapes that intersect in an ‘X’ shape, and the hollow rotary shaft 410 may be supported at the intersection.

However, the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the supporting frame 500 may have various structures that may be modified and carried out by those skilled in the art based on publicly known technology.

The one or more water pipes 600 are inserted into the integrated tub/drum 200 through the hollow space of the hollow rotary shaft 410.

In the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the one or more water pipes 600 may include the water supply pipe 610, and the water drain pipe 620.

Both the water supply pipe 610 and the water drain pipe 620 are inserted into the integrated tub/drum 200 through the hollow rotary shaft 410. The water supply pipe 610 supplies washing water to the interior of the integrated tub/drum 200, and the water drain pipe 620 discharges washing water from the interior of the integrated tub/drum 200.

In the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the water drain pipe 620 may be inserted into the integrated tub/drum 200 through the hollow rotary shaft 410, and then bend downward. Accordingly, the water drain pipe 620 may effectively drain the washing water from the integrated tub/drum 200.

When the integrated tub/drum 200 has a truncated conical shape, the hollow rotary shaft 410 is coupled to penetrate one surface of the integrated tub/drum 200 that has a relatively large area, and the water drain pipe 620 may be installed to be adjacent to the one surface of the integrated tub/drum 200 that has a relatively large area. Accordingly, the washing water in the integrated tub/drum 200 may be effectively collected, and drained through the water drain pipe 620.

In the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the water supply pipe 610 may be inserted into the integrated tub/drum 200 through the hollow rotary shaft 410, and then bend upward, leftward or rightward. FIG. 2 illustrates the water supply pipe 610 that bends upward, but the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the water supply pipe 610 may bend leftward or rightward, or may not be bent.

The fixed shaft 415 is in the hollow space of the hollow rotary shaft 410 and does not rotate. The fixed shaft 415 supports the water supply pipe 610 and the water drain pipe 620 in the fixed shaft 415. That is, when the hollow rotary shaft 410 rotates, the water supply pipe 610 and the water drain pipe 620 in the fixed shaft 415 do not rotate.

One end of the fixed shaft 415 protrudes to the outside of the hollow rotary shaft 410, and the shaft fixing member 545 connects the one end of the fixed shaft 415 to the supporting frame 500. That is, the shaft fixing member 545 is coupled to the supporting frame 500 so as to support the fixed shaft 415 so that the fixed shaft 415 does not rotate in the hollow rotary shaft 410.

The air pipe 670 is installed in the fixed shaft 415 together with the water supply pipe 610 and the water drain pipe 620, and connected to the integrated tub/drum 200. The air pipe 670 discharges air in the integrated tub/drum 200 or supplies air into the integrated tub/drum 200 so as to maintain pressure in the integrated tub/drum 200 at atmospheric pressure when the washing water is supplied through the water supply pipe 610 or the washing water is drained through the water drain pipe 620 when the opening 209 of the integrated tub/drum 200 is tightly closed by the drum cover 290. That is, by the air pipe 670, the washing water may be effectively supplied to or drained from the tightly closed integrated tub/drum 200.

The rotary bearing 418 is between the hollow rotary shaft 410 and the fixed shaft 415, so that the hollow rotary shaft 410 and the fixed shaft 415 are slidable relative to each other. That is, by the rotary bearing 418, the hollow rotary shaft 410 may rotate when the fixed shaft 415 is fixed. For example, the rotary bearing 418 may be a needle roller bearing.

The water seal 218 is between the hollow rotary shaft 410 and the fixed shaft 415 so as to block the washing water in the integrated tub/drum 200 from flowing into the rotary bearing 418 through the hollow space of the hollow rotary shaft 200.

The supporting bearing 508 is between the hollow rotary shaft 410 and the supporting frame 500. That is, the supporting bearing 508 helps the supporting frame 500 to support the hollow rotary shaft 410 so that the hollow rotary shaft 410 is rotatable.

The drive shaft 420 is coupled to another surface of the integrated tub/drum 200, that is, the surface that is opposite to the one surface to which the hollow rotary shaft 410 is coupled. That is, the integrated tub/drum 200 rotates while being supported by the drive shaft 420 and the hollow rotary shaft 410.

Like the hollow rotary shaft 410, the drive shaft 420 is also supported by the supporting frame 500. The fixed shaft 420 may also be supported at the intersection of the supporting frame 500.

The drive bearing 509 is between the drive shaft 420 and the supporting frame 500. That is, the drive bearing 509 helps the supporting frame 500 to support the drive shaft 420 so that the drive shaft 420 is rotatable.

The drive motor 300 rotates the drive shaft 420, and provides rotational power to the integrated tub/drum 200.

In the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the drive motor 300 may rotate the integrated tub/drum 200 so that the opening 209 of the integrated tub/drum 200 is at a relatively upper position when the laundry is put into or taken out of the integrated tub/drum 200. That is, the drive motor 300 may move the opening 209 of the integrated tub/drum 200 to a position where a worker conveniently puts the laundry into the integrated tub/drum 200 or takes the laundry out of the integrated tub/drum 200.

According to the aforementioned configuration, the washing machine 101 according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure uses the integrated tub/drum 200 so as to suppress the generation of contaminants, and allows the integrated tub/drum 200 to be easily cleaned.

According to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the washing machine 101 may effectively supply the washing water to the integrated tub/drum 200 or drain the washing water from the integrated tub/drum 200.

Hereinafter, a washing machine 102 according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the washing machine 102 according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure uses a hollow drive shaft 420. That is, like the hollow rotary shaft 410, the drive shaft 420, which transmits rotational power from a drive motor 300 to the integrated tub/drum 200, is hollow.

An additional water pipe, which is inserted into the integrated tub/drum 200 through a hollow space of the drive shaft 420, is further included. In this case, the additional water pipe may be a water supply pipe 610.

Meanwhile, the water pipe that is inserted into the integrated tub/drum 200 through a hollow space of the hollow rotary shaft may be a water drain pipe 620.

The principle that the additional water pipe (that is, the water supply pipe 610) is inserted into and supported by the drive shaft 420 is the same as the principle that one or more water pipes 600 are inserted into and supported by the hollow rotary shaft 410 in the first exemplary embodiment.

The second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited to the aforementioned configuration. That is, one of the water pipes in the integrated tub/drum 200 through the hollow rotary shaft 410 or the hollow drive shaft 420 may be the water supply pipe 610 that supplies the washing water. Another water pipe in the integrated tub/drum 200 through the hollow rotary shaft 410 or the hollow drive shaft 420 may be the water drain pipe 620 that drains the washing water.

As such, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the water supply pipe 610 is inserted into the integrated tub/drum 200 through the hollow drive shaft 420, and the water drain pipe 620 is inserted into the integrated tub/drum 200 through the hollow rotary shaft 410, but the second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is limited thereto. That is, the water drain pipe 620 may be inserted through the drive shaft 420, and the water supply pipe 610 may be inserted through the hollow rotary shaft 410.

According to the aforementioned configuration, the washing machine 102 according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure uses the integrated tub/drum 200, thereby suppressing the generation of contaminants and allowing the integrated tub/drum 200 to be easily cleaned.

According to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the washing machine 102 may more effectively supply the washing water to the integrated tub/drum 200 or drain the washing water from the integrated tub/drum 200.

Specifically, diameters of the water supply pipe 610 and the water drain pipe 620 may be maximally secured by using both the hollow space of the hollow rotary shaft 410 and the hollow space of the fixed shaft 420.

When both the water supply pipe 610 and the water drain pipe 620 are inserted into the integrated tub/drum 200 through the single hollow rotary shaft 410 as described in the first exemplary embodiment, the diameter of the hollow rotary shaft 410 is be relatively large in order to allow a sufficient amount of washing water to flow through the water supply pipe 610 and the water drain pipe 620.

However, according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the water supply pipe 610 and the water drain pipe 620 are in the hollow rotary shaft 410 and the hollow drive shaft 420 separate from each other, thereby effectively increasing the diameters of the water supply pipe 610 and the water drain pipe 620.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein for purposes of illustration, and that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the various embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims. 

1. A washing machine comprising: an integrated tub/drum that simultaneously stores water, accommodates laundry, and rotates; a rotatable hollow rotary shaft coupled to one surface of the integrated tub/drum; one or more water pipes in the integrated tub/drum through the hollow rotary shaft; a supporting frame that supports the hollow rotary shaft; a fixed shaft in the hollow rotary shaft that does not rotate, and that supports the one or more water pipes; and an air pipe in the fixed shaft together with the one or more water pipes, and connected to the integrated tub/drum.
 2. The washing machine of claim 1, further comprising: a rotary bearing between the hollow rotary shaft and the fixed shaft so that the hollow rotary shaft and the fixed shaft are slidable relative to each other.
 3. The washing machine of claim 2, wherein one end portion of the fixed shaft protrudes to the outside of the hollow rotary shaft.
 4. (canceled)
 5. The washing machine of claim 2, further comprising: a water seal between the hollow rotary shaft and the fixed shaft so as to block the washing water in the integrated tub/drum from flowing into the rotary bearing.
 6. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the integrated tub/drum has a truncated conical shape or a cylindrical shape.
 7. The washing machine of claim 1, further comprising: a lifter on an inner circumferential surface of the integrated tub/drum, that lifts the laundry when the integrated tub/drum rotates.
 8. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the one or more water pipes include a water supply pipe and a water drain pipe.
 9. The washing machine of claim 8, wherein the water supply pipe is in the integrated tub/drum and through the hollow rotary shaft, and bends upward, leftward or rightward.
 10. The washing machine of claim 1, further comprising: a drive shaft coupled to another surface of the integrated tub/drum; and a drive motor that rotates the drive shaft.
 11. The washing machine of claim 10, wherein the drive shaft is hollow.
 12. The washing machine of claim 11, wherein one of the one or more water pipes through the hollow rotary shaft or the additional water pipe is a water supply pipe and the other of the one or more water pipes, through the hollow rotary shaft and the additional water pipe is a water drain pipe.
 13. The washing machine of claim 2, further comprising a supporting bearing between the hollow rotary shaft and the supporting frame.
 14. The washing machine of claim 3, further comprising a shaft fixing member that connects the one end of the fixed shaft to the supporting frame.
 15. The washing machine of claim 2, wherein the one or more water pipes are also in the fixed shaft.
 16. The washing machine of claim 6, further comprising an opening in a circumferential surface or wall of the integrated tub/drum, and a drum cover that is separably coupled to the opening.
 17. The washing machine of claim 8, wherein the water drain pipe bends downward in the integrated tub/drum.
 18. The washing machine of claim 16, wherein the washing machine further includes an additional water pipe in the integrated tub/drum through the drive shaft. 